Thanks for your interest in our yurts; hopefully this
detailed description will answer all of your questions.

We will handpick your yurt according to size and interior
colors of your preference. The inside walls are fully
lined with handmade kilims (woven carpets of goat hair)
traditional to Central Asia yurts. The kilims combine
striking colors and intricate geometric designs while
also insulating the yurt. Also there are plenty of tassels
hanging from the roof and an interesting cross-cross design
of bands of small colorfully woven fabric making an elaborate
and ornate showpiece of design in the area directly across
from the door (seen in the second picture). Also included
is one large colorful felt rug with geometric designs
to provide cushion and warmth as a sitting rug. The walls
are made from poles of hardwood that are crossed and attached
to each other with strips of camel leather to make a collapsible
piece of a frame. The door is put up and a piece of frame
is tied onto both sides using horsehair rope. Then each
section is then lashed together in a circle to form a
sturdy wall. Next long bentwood poles are tied to the
frame and connect into a circular center piece. After
everything is lashed together tightly the frame is covered
by a thick sheep wool felt cover consists of different
sections that overlap and cover the entire yurt. The top
center circle has its own felt covering that can be untied
and pulled back to let in a nice amount of light, enough
to do all daily activities on a sunny day and in case
of rain you can simply tie it back and the yurt will withstand
the rains.

All of these original and handmade designs will take your
imagination away and transport you to the days when Marco
Polo visited the nomads of Central Asia in their yurts
700 years ago. The yurt is a magnificent den of refuge
where you can relax and while away the time or you might
want to take it a bit further and customize it with pillows
and rugs from your own collection to make it truly your
own. The yurt is a great place to entertain, paint, drink
tea and read, a meditation and yoga spot, a party room,
a kidís playhouse, an artistís studio and gallery, a unique
bed and breakfast, a hunting lodge, or whatever your heart
desires; the possibilities are wide open. Each year more
and more Kazakh nomads decide to abandon their nomadic
ways and by purchasing a yurt you will be preserving a
unique piece of cultural heritage that is gradually disappearing.
One day these yurts could be lost to us forever. In this
respect these yurts will have character and a certain
charm to them that you will never be able to find in a
new yurt.

The yurts range from 15-25 feet in diameter (176-490 square
feet) and between 10 and 12 feet in height (the smaller
the diameter the taller the yurt, to a point). It might
be possible that we find one up to 30 feet, if so desired.
You decide the size and the main colors and designs for
the carpets and we will find you the best yurt for you.
Since they are handmade and not new they will all be different
in certain aspects. Some yurts have colorful designs on
the outside; some are white because they have thin covers
over the felt while others are more the more traditional
natural brown of the felt walls. Some yurts may have a
felt door cover while others will not. You decide what
you are looking for and we will try and handpick the best
of the yurts that we locate.

These yurts are not tents in the traditional manner. Though
they are used by nomads who go from one place to another
they usually use camels that to carry the yurts and the
rest of their belongings. These yurts, especially the
felt walls, weigh a good bit (possibly 600-1000 pounds)
yet can be packed up and put in the bed of a truck for
easy transportation (see photo). Setup takes three to
four people around four hours to get everything setup
properly. Included will be a video of Kazakh nomads putting
up a yurt with each step explained and detailed on the
screen as well as an accompanying set of written instructions.

As these yurts come from dry arid climates I cannot guarantee
that the felt will withstand the rainy weather of the
Pacific Northwest, but it could be possible to buy a waterproof
canvas cover and just use the felt as insulation in the
winter or never even use the felt. The felt will withstand
a few weeks of rain if the sun comes out afterwards for
a few days the felt will dry itself and be as good as
new. Felt is prone to being eaten by moths while in storage
but rarely has a problem while the yurt is standing, though
this is another matter to consider. The felt on a nomadís
yurt is constantly being altered since they are forever
on the go therefore it is hard to say how long the felt
on a yurt in America will last, especially if the yurt
is used only part of the year. Last the yurt does not
come with a floor, most people place theirs on a wooden
platform similar to a freestanding porch and then cover
that with a pad and then place carpets on the top for
decoration. Nomads place their yurts directly on the ground
and use the carpets as their floor. These carpets are
walked on without shoes to preserve the carpets and to
promote general cleanliness. In most Kazakh yurts there
is very little furniture since it is hard to transport
from place to place, therefore no furniture will be included
with the yurt.

From the port the yurts will be taken to a holding area.
From the holding area it will be your responsibility to
either get the yurt or have it shipped to you. We will
pay for all the customs and charges in Central Asia. All
customs fees in the United States will be divided equally
among the five yurt owners.

Thanks again for your interest and please contact us with
your orders or inquiries at yurts@stantours.com.